1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a container for wine bottles, more particularly to a container for keeping wine bottles in a cool condition.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional method for keeping a wine bottle in a cool condition, a bucket is filled with ice cubes, and the bottle is then placed in the container. However, it is required to wrap the bottle in a towel for preventing dripping of water that condensed on the bottle, thereby resulting in inconvenience when taking the bottle out from the container.
The object of the present invention is to provide a container which can prevent wine bottles received therein from dripping when the bottles are taken out therefrom.
According to this invention, the container includes a container body which has a bottom wall with first inner and outer wall surfaces opposite to each other in an upright direction, and a surrounding wall with second inner and outer wall surfaces which extend respectively and upwardly from peripheries of the first inner and outer wall surfaces to confine an accommodation space, and which terminate at an upper surrounding edge portion that defines an opening for access into the accommodation space. The accommodating space includes a central region, and a surrounding region which surrounds and which extends radially and outwardly from the central region to the second inner wall surface. A plurality of coolant vessels are detachably disposed in the surrounding region and are angularly displaced from one another along the periphery of the first inner wall surface. Each vessel includes a rear major wall which is disposed to confront the second inner wall surface, a front major wall which is opposite to the rear major wall and which faces the central region, and two lateral side walls opposite to each other in a direction transverse to the upright direction. A plurality of retaining members are disposed on and extend radially and inwardly of the second inner wall surface toward the central region, and downwardly toward the first inner wall surface. Each retaining member is interposed between one of the lateral side walls of one of the vessels and an adjacent one of the lateral side walls of an adjacent one of the vessels such that two of the retaining members, which flank respectively the two lateral side walls of one of the vessels, retain said one of the vessels from falling toward the central region. Preferably, a plurality of spacers are disposed at the central region and on the first inner wall surface so as to space wine bottles, which are received in the accommodating space, from the first inner wall surface that is being wetted by the dripping water formed as a result of cohesion of water drops which condensed on the bottles.